#LoveChattnooga

Monthly Impact

We have been partnering with local organizations to love and serve Chattanooga over the last several years. If you would like to find out more about what we have done or how you can get involved, please email our Connections Director at [email protected]! Here is a month to month overview list beginning in August 2020.

April 2021

Chambliss Center for Children -

The Transitional Living Program at the Chambliss Center provides stable housing and careful case management for youth who have aged out of traditional foster care at age 18. Each apartment unit is furnished and decorated by local nonprofit organization Homes + Havens, utilizing a trauma-informed design approach to create a comfortable, serene, and uplifting environments for teens entering the Transitional Living Program. We purchased several necessary household items to fill each apartment such as hangers, laundry basket, food containers, pots and pans, cleaning products, kitchen items (plates, mugs, baking pans), trash cans, vacuum cleaners...etc.
A few of our staff got to visit the units and speak with Jon Berestecky, the Director of Transitional Living. He shared with us, "The housing is nice... food on the table is essential... but what these young people really need is family, a sense of connection and belonging. Which is what we all need, right? We really invest in this trauma informed approach through these units because all of these kids have been through so much. And through this program, we're investing in these youth to create the kind of atmosphere that is safe and helps them heal, that says, "you're worth it."

March 2021

The Salvation Army -

The Salvation Army Day Center was completely out of several emergency needs they provide daily to our homeless neighbors in the community. We were able to help restock many items including new men’s boxers and women's underwear, new socks, basic first aid kits, ball caps, waterproof tarps, shaving razors, and other various hygiene items.
Each Easter season, the Salvation Army of Chattanooga hosts a fun Easter-themed community event called "EGG-Stravaganza". We were able to purchase all of the candy and the 600 plastic eggs needed to make this event happen for the community wide egg hunt. A little bit of good goes a long way and in this case this "yes" made a huge difference to a lot of kids and families in the area! Lauren Russek, the event and volunteer coordinator, shared with us after we told her we were able to purchase the supplies, "What!!! Amazing!!!!! I wish I could give you a big hug right now. I just let our team at East Lake know and they are so excited (they were getting a little worried about our egg supply). You seriously just made everyone’s day!"

MetMin -

On March 27th, 2021, Patten Towers (Section 8, Low Income Housing and rental assistance) suffered a terrible accidental fire, displacing over 200 individuals. Our community partner MetMin served first hand on the front lines to help with temporary housing and immediate needs (food, clothing, hygiene essentials) to prevent homelessness for those displaced, and we were able to donate $2,000 towards their emergency fund for these individuals.

Family Promise -

We provided a catered Easter dinner from Tupelo Honey for the families that Family Promise is currently serving at their overnight church shelter so that they could have a warm and wonderful Easter meal together.
We gave a $3,000 donation to Family Promise to help a single mother in their program get a new engine in her car so that she will have stable transportation to and from work to provide for her family.

February 2021

The Salvation Army -

We had two service projects with the SA of Chattanooga in February including a street outreach day and a warehouse moving prep day. For the warehouse day, our team helped clean, pack, sort, and organize, hundreds of items to help them prepare to move warehouse spaces. For the street outreach day, a group of volunteers got to make Valentine’s Day cards for our homeless neighbors, decorated for Mardi Bra women’s health event, packed feminine hygiene kits and went out and then connected with folks on the streets. We were able to give out over 100 Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuits and waters to our homeless neighbors, as well as some hygiene kits.

Hardy Elementary -

We were able to donate over $1300 worth of new school uniforms to our inner city school partner to help meet the need of some of their students. From khakis to polos, belts to socks, all of these items will go to students in need at Hardy.
We were able to meet several classroom and teacher needs such as new toys and dolls for the Pre-K classrooms, printer ink, a diffuser and stress-relief oils for the teacher's lounge, and mini flashlights for every student for Read Across America Day.

Megan's Story -

We had the opportunity to share Megan's story and her journey with Michael and Ashley Frogg, who fostered her two children and have walked with Megan every step of the way. We celebrated with Megan on February 14th when she officially got to take her children home with her and she shared how it's because of the love and support from the Froggs that she was able to keep going. Through the amazing generosity of those who give to RP, we were able to give Megan a car so that she would have a reliable and safe vehicle transportation for years to come. You can watch her story by clicking the video below!

January 2021

Chambliss Center for Children -

The Chambliss Center for Children Early Childhood Education Program operates 24/7 and serves parents who are either working or in school. The goal is to provide the best possible education to young children, in preparation for Kindergarten, and to provide a safe place for our older children before and after school. Their facilities were in need of several items to help this program continue to run smoothly and we were able to meet several need on their wish list including cleaning products (disinfectant spray, paper towels, brooms/dustpans, reusable spray bottles, bleach), childcare needs (Kleenex, baby wipes, laundry detergent), and board games and toys for infants, elementary and early middle school children.

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga -

Feminine hygiene items and undergarments are two of the greatest needs for homeless women in our community. However, these items are rarely donated because they can be pricey or are often forgotten. The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary became aware of this need and created "Mardi Bra," an event specifically focused on the health needs of homeless women in our community. This February will be the 7th year of this event in Chattanooga. We were able to donate over $1200 worth of items from the Salvation Army's wish list including sports bras, fun colored socks, undergarments, and feminine hygiene products that will be given to female homeless guests during this event.

Hardy Elementary -

Our inner city school partner was mostly virtual for the month of January and we were able to meet several virtual classroom needs that the teachers had for their students to enhance their virtual learning experience, such as take-home Addition/Subtraction cards, a 360 degree teacher webcam for the art teacher, comfortable over-ear headphones for students, and ink for the teachers to print take-home packets for their students.
We were able to give a Chick-Fil-A biscuits breakfast for the teachers their first week back in person with their students. One of the best ways we get to consistently love on these teachers is through food and treats. It helps them to feel loved, cared for, and seen during the midst of a busy, stressful week and we love being able to love on them in this way!
The teacher's lounge that we mentioned last month is officially set up and able to be enjoyed by the teachers now that they are back in school! Below is a quick video featuring the teacher lounge and the Principal and Vice Principal of Hardy expressing why having this space is so important for their staff.

December 2020

Chambliss Center for Children -

This Christmas we partnered with the Chambliss Center for Children to help with some holiday needs they had. Each year they give little stockings to every child and youth in their program, which at this time is 70 children. We were able to donate all of the stocking stuffers, from play-doh to candies, to stickers and chapsticks, to help fill every child's stocking with something fun to open on Christmas!
We adopted the wishlists of 5 young adults that are currently enrolled in the Transitional Living Program, to ensure that they would receive Christmas presents this year. The Transitional Living Program provides stable housing and careful case management for youth who have aged out of traditional foster care at age 18 and have chosen to participate in Extension of Foster Care (EFC) services in the state of Tennessee.
We were also able to give a catered Christmas day meal to the 16 young adults in this program, delivered right to their door, so that they would have a fresh, homemade meal for Christmas day.

Over $4,000 was given to individual families in need -

From emergency rent help to immediate needs being met, to helping provide Christmas presents under the tree where there would have been none otherwise, we CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH for your generosity that made all of this possible to help meet these individual needs!
We were able to help a family keep their home this Christmas. Both parents lost their jobs recently due to Covid related layoffs and are struggling to make ends meet. We were able to get their power, heat and water turned back on and help them get caught up on rent payments so they wouldn't be evicted. We were able to help another family with 7 children keep their power and water on. We were able to help another family make their rent payment to avoid falling further behind. We were able to help several families struggling financially to be able to have Christmas gifts under the tree this year for their children. Because of your generosity, over $4000 was given to meet individual and family needs. Thank you so much for making this possible and allowing us to say "Yes, we can help!" to those most in need.

MetMin -

First, we want to celebrate that MetMin is now in their new building!!! We are so excited for them and can't wait to share more pictures and videos of their new space.
We donated $1,000 to help meet immediate needs during the holiday season.
We were able to love on the staff this Christmas with an Amazon gift card and some treats from Neidlov's Bakery as a small way to show our deep appreciation for all the amazing work they do in our city.

The Salvation Army -

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga is staffed with 50 individuals who work hard to help those most in need in our city. We are so grateful for them and all they do and this Christmas we were able to give each staff member an Amazon gift card to express our support and appreciation to them.

Hardy Elementary -

The teacher's lounge was officially all set up for the staff as they returned to school in January! A teacher sent us this message, "I just stopped by the school to do some work and popped into the copy room! Oh my gracious! It’s gorgeous! It’s like a little cool retreat in there! Thank you so much for that! It’s amazing!"
We were able to supply the learning packs (crayons, folders, headphones, expo markers, and sheet protectors) for January for the 1st grade students. As they are returning back to virtual school due to Covid, these items were necessary for each child at home in order to complete their assignments.
And finally were able to give an Amazon gift card to every teacher and staff member this Christmas to show our appreciation for everything they have done and continue to do for the students at Hardy!

November 2020

Hardy Trees -

This year 81 Hardy Trees were adopted by RockPoint!! The teachers and staff at our inner city school partner, Hardy Elementary, were SO excited that we were able to partner with them again this year to give Christmas presents to families in need. Each "Hardy Tree" card represented a different child and their Christmas wish list. In what has been such a hard year on so many, to help these families in this way is spreading love, joy, and hope right to them. And we could NOT have done this without the support of those of you who so graciously adopted a Hardy Tree this Christmas! Thank you!!!

Thanksgiving Meal Help -

We were able to help over 30 families from various partners, including First Things First, Family Promise, and Hardy Elementary with grocery store gift cards to provide them with a Thanksgiving meal. Talking with our partners, so many families have been impacted financially this year and to have the financial pressure lifted for Thanksgiving, to have some traditions and favorite dishes possible this year, in a year with so much change already, was such a blessing to those families.

Hardy Teacher Lounge-

At the beginning of the school year, the VP at Hardy sent us email saying - "We would love to turn our teacher's lounge in to a "CHILL" relaxation room. We would love to set it up like a "get away" place for teachers and staff to relax." And because of your generosity we were able to say "YES!!!!" to that request! We were able to get a couch, a rug, a coffee table, a farmhouse table and chairs, some wall art and lamps and pillows...etc. and our goal is to make it a safe haven for the staff in the midst of a busy day.

October 2020

Hardy Elementary -

We met specific classroom and school wide needs at Hardy Elementary, the inner city school we partner with.
We were to love and support the teachers and staff through Starbucks gift cards and we did Chick-Fil-A breakfast for the full staff at the end of the month.

Metropolitan Ministries -

We helped MetMin get the final items off of their Amazon wish list before moving into their new building! We were able to give 7 new file cabinets for their office needs and case management for the guests they serve.
The director of MetMin, Becky Whelchel, recently shared with us that they will be moving to their new building, the "Impact Hub", NEXT WEEK! They will be able to assist those in need soon after. We are so excited for them and can't wait to share more!

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga -

We provided 500 backpacks to The Salvation Army so that they will be able to give out these bags to the homeless in our city as winter approaches. As we talked with the staff, they shared with us what an impact this will make in the homeless community this winter and how grateful they were knowing this need is taken care. The backpacks will be filled with essential items such as hygiene items, hats, socks, etc.

First Things First -

The staff members at FTF have been working tirelessly to create resources and online content to help strengthen family dynamics, marriages, parenting, etc. in out city. They have helped thousands of people, not only in Chattanooga, but also nationwide through their increased online presence during this season. To love on and uplift the staff, we were able to give a gift basket to each staff member containing a few gift cards from local businesses, office essentials, and some stress relief items.

September 2020

Hardy Elementary -

As you can imagine this has been a hard year for the staff at Hardy Elementary- the inner city school that we have partnered with for the last 7 years. And so we have been very intentional with showering the teachers and staff with love and appreciation. One way that we have found to do that- that they love- is to bring them yummy food at school. So this month we have taken the full staff CFA breakfast, Crumbl cookies, and Maple Street biscuits to spread love and encouragement to them!
We were also able to meet needs within specific classrooms for teachers as well as providing 75 new uniforms for kids who needed them this year.
Here’s just one of the encouraging notes that the principle of Hardy sent us: “I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how blessed we are to have your support here at Hardy. There are so many times that the day gets away from me with everything going on. I don't take the time to just stop and look around to see how many people surround our school, teachers, and students with love from your church. You all are truly a wonderful blessing. I could never express enough how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness and genuine love for us. I know it's not enough but THANK YOU for everything.”

Metropolitan Ministries -

MetMin continues to do amazing work to prevent homelessness and help those most in need in our community. In addition to that, they have been working diligently to finish renovations on their new building, and are hoping to be moved in and fully operational by the end of this year. This month we were able to help with their amazon wish list for needed items. From white boards to dish soap to masks & hand sanitizer, every item and dollar helps get them one step closer to greatly increasing their reach and impact in the Chattanooga area.
A thank you from Becky Whelchel, the Executive Director at MetMin: “Y'all just keep blowing me away and I love it so much for the people we serve. Wish I could hug each and every Rockpointer!”

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga -

We had a street ministry day where we took a small team of RP volunteers and packaged beat the heat care packages, BBQ sandwich meals, and waters to give to the homeless downtown Chattanooga. We were able to walk the streets of some of our city's most heavily populated homeless communities and serve over 100 people.
One of the directors that coordinated the event shared: “Thank you for loving Chattanooga in this way. By meeting people right where they are at, you show value and worth to them. To learn their names, to show them they matter- that shows them the love of Jesus.”

August 2020

Hardy Elementary -

To ensure the safety of their students this year, teachers needed to provide individual school supply items and recess items per student. These were items that the teachers were going to have to purchase themselves, but because of your generosity we were able to get every item requested! This ensured that the students will have everything they need to succeed at the start of this school year and teachers didn’t have to pay for these items out of their pocket.

Urban League, "Shoes 4 School" -

We were able to financially support this organization's event, Shoes 4 School which donates and distributes new backpacks filled with school supplies and new shoes to students who are most in need all across the Chattanooga area. Through this event, thousands of school supplies were given as well as 600 pairs of new shoes.

Family Promise -

Over the summer the staff let us know that most of the toys for the children at the Day Center were broken or had missing pieces. The Day Center is a safe place for families to come during the day to rest, have a meal, do homework, play, etc. while they are in the process of transitioning from homelessness to stable housing. Because of your generosity, we were able to get them every item on the list from baby dolls, to board games, to toddler toys, and even some stringed lights to make the day center more warm and welcoming.

Chambliss Center, Transitional Living Program -

The Chambliss Center for Children's Transitional Living Program provides stable housing and careful case management for young adults who have aged out of traditional foster care at age 18 and have chosen to participate in Extension of Foster Care (EFC) services in the state of Tennessee. They currently have 17 single-occupancy apartments, each fully furnished with a washer/dryer, utilities, and internet.
They recently opened 6 new units, and we were able to provide the remainder of essential household items needed for these new apartments. We were also able to help with transportation costs through CARTA bus passes and Uber gift cards to help them get safely to school, jobs, the grocery store, etc.
They also let us know that the 6 students that would be moving into these apartments were all starting school this fall. Due to Covid, their schools were beginning the semester virtually, and they each needed their own laptop, which these students did not have. We were able to supply each student with a brand new laptop so that they can begin their first semester of college confidently and with the tools necessary for success.